Write an AI project brief that experts can actually assess
A good AI tender describes the business problem, not the technology. If you set out goal, process, data, constraints and success criteria clearly, you get comparable proposals and realistic effort estimates. This guide leads you in eight steps to a finished project brief — with a copyable template.
What belongs in an AI project brief
Work through the points in order. The more concrete each one, the better the proposals.
1. Business goal before technology
Which problem should be solved and what changes once it is? Write "capture incoming invoices in under 1 minute", not "we want an LLM".
2. Users & current process
Who works with the process today, how often does it occur, and where does it get stuck?
3. Data & access
Which data or documents exist, in what format, how many, and who can release them?
4. Security, GDPR & integration
Personal data? Hosting requirements (EU, Germany, on-prem)? Which systems must be connected?
5. Success criteria
How will you measure success — with today’s baseline and a target, such as minutes per case or error rate?
6. Must vs. nice-to-have
Separate hard requirements from wishes. That makes proposals comparable and lowers cost.
7. Budget & timeline
A rough budget frame and a target date help experts propose the right scope.
8. Contact & process
Who decides, by when should proposals arrive, and what happens after selection?
Realistic budget and timing
You don’t need to state an exact budget, but a frame prevents mismatched proposals. As orientation, use the typical figures on our "What does AI consulting cost?" page: day rates for AI experts of about €800 to €1,800, a well-scoped proof of concept often from €5,000–20,000, and integrations into existing systems typically well above that.
Plan a few weeks for a first pilot and decide when an interim result with real data should be available. A clear milestone is worth more than an early end date.
Common mistakes in AI tenders
- Prescribing a technology ("with ChatGPT") instead of describing the problem.
- No information about data — experts can only guess the effort.
- Clarifying data protection and hosting only after selection.
- No measurable success criterion, so no acceptance is possible.
- Making everything a must-have — that drives price and duration.
- No budget frame, so proposals differ by a factor of several.
Template: project brief for your AI tender
Copy the template, fill in the points and use the text directly for your tender on Die KI Plattform.
AI PROJECT – PROJECT BRIEF 1. Business goal Which problem should be solved? What changes once it is solved? 2. Current process & users Who works with it today? How often? Where do effort or errors arise? 3. Data & access Which data/documents exist (type, format, volume)? Who grants access? 4. Security, GDPR & integration Personal data: yes / no Hosting requirement: EU / Germany / on-prem / none Systems to connect: (e.g. ERP, CRM, email, DMS) 5. Success criteria Today's value: Target value: Measured by: 6. Requirements Must: Nice to have: 7. Budget & timeline Budget frame: Target date for pilot: 8. Contact & process Decision by: Proposals by: Preferred model: freelancer / agency / open
AI project brief — common questions
What is an AI tender? +
An AI tender is a structured description of a planned AI project that experts or agencies can base proposals on. It describes goal, current process, data, constraints, success criteria, budget and timeline.
How do I tender an AI project? +
First describe the business goal, then the current process, available data, requirements on data protection, hosting and integration, measurable success criteria, must-have and nice-to-have requirements, and budget and timeline. The template on this page contains every point.
Where can I post an AI project? +
On Die KI Plattform you post your AI project for free. Vetted AI experts and AI agencies across the DACH region see your brief and get back to you with matching proposals — with no placement fee.
Do I have to state a concrete budget? +
No, but a rough frame prevents proposals that differ by a factor of several. Orientation comes from typical day rates of about €800 to €1,800 and the project costs on our "What does AI consulting cost?" page.
Does this apply to public bodies too? +
This guide is aimed at private companies. Public bodies must additionally follow procurement law; the content of a good project brief helps there too.
What happens after the tender? +
You compare the incoming profiles and proposals, talk to the best-matching experts and agree scope, timeline and price directly with them. Helpful selection criteria are on our "Find AI consultants" page.
Brief ready? Post your AI project now — for free.
Register your company, paste the project brief and receive matching profiles and proposals from vetted AI experts across the DACH region. No placement fee.